I hope not. Although Carolina has a plethora of good running backs -- Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson and Tyrell Sutton among them -- to me DeAngelo is still the best of the lot. None of those other guys have ever had the amazing sort of 1,500-yard, 18-TD season DeAngelo did in 2008. I think he's the Panthers' best combination of speed and power -- he has 31 career rushing TDs, after all, and a lot of those were inside the tackles. To call him purely an outside speed rusher is to do him an injustice.

But DeAngelo's contract runs out at the end of this season, which means the Panthers are going to have to pay him -- big-time -- to keep him. The average range for a back of DeAngelo's caliber probably approaches the $7-million-per-year range. Stewart is signed through 2012, on the other hand, and Goodson is also on his first contract and a pretty cheap alternative (i.e., Goodson is a poor man's version of DeAngelo).

DeAngelo had a subpar 2010 even before he got hurt -- he never had a single 100-yard rushing game -- but that goes for the entire Panther offense. Perhaps the injury will even be a mixed blessing, for it undoubtedly will cost DeAngelo some money (compared to if he came off another 1,500-yard, play-in-all-16-game season like 2008). Maybe the Panthers can receive a bit of a hometown discount bargain here -- DeAngelo has always seemed happy here and acted like he wants to stay long-term.

So again, I hope he hasn't played his last game here. Stewart was great at the end of 2009, but his 3.0 rushing average this season is a yard under DeAngelo's, and he is never 100 percent health-wise. That's not his fault, but that's the truth.

The Panthers have been saving money all year. So who else are they going to spend it on if not for guys like DeAngelo, a proven commodity who is still only 27 years old? Fix his foot and sign him to another contract.

22 comments:

Jon
said...

I agree with you. Also, let's not forget that he's been splitting carries for pretty much his entire career, so his body is a lot less banged up than the average running back. I doubt there will be a big falloff when he reaches 30 years old, so signing him to a five-year deal could actually be pretty smart.

Then again, I can't see Jerry Richardson signing him before there is a new CBA. From what I understand, player salaries are expected to fall a little bit afterward, and so the $7 million may actually be a little high. It depends on a lot of factors, and while I'm sure DeAngelo would love to get a new deal, it's probably to Jerry's advantage to wait. I just hope they make it clear that he is absolutely wanted to stay here. We don't need to lose him because he feels snubbed.

I wish these sports writers around here would wake up and learn what they need to know to inform their readers. Free agency has gone to 6 years. DWill will be a restricted free agent. For about $4million, the Panthers can get a first and third if another team signs him.

I wish you stupid weenies who think you know all about journalism, running an NFL team, and life in general, would JUST NOT POST your comments. True, your mommy and daddy sent you through college; and indeed, you and your significant others haven’t yet tested positive for any nasty diseases… But you don’t add a thing to this blog in regards to what fans care about. So go away.AND, I’m surprised that $225,000 worth of education can’t even teach you society whores how to even write properly!!

Stewart's "never 100 percent health-wise?" Then why does he suit up EVERY game, unlike Williams, who's going to manage a whopping 19 of 32 games between this year and last.

Jon, here's your other caveat with Williams' mileage: dude got nearly 1000 carries in college because he was literally all that Memphis had. Compare that to Stewart, who barely had 500 at Oregon (albeit in one fewer year.) Williams is a lot more banged up than you probably think.

4:40, you don't trade your third-string back and expect to get any kind of a return. If we're going to make a trade, it has to be somebody that other teams would actually want, like Williams.

5:07, you're wrong. That was a special provision of the uncapped year that is unlikely to return when the new CBA is agreed upon.

MP you are right correcting 5:07 but that only could mean then the Panthers will resign Williams because if not there goes another blunder by this idiotic front office for not trading him when the time was right to get anything in return.

IMHO I think Jerry R will step up to the plate when signing players for next season. I hate the money saving crap we fans have been dealt this year, but Jerry's always spent the money before. Sometimes his and Hurney's f.a. signings have bombed, but the Panthers have usually been at the upper limit of the salary cap. I think this year he just made a decision to save money, while realigning his "cap space" for next year while trying to set an example for the new CBA agreement. I just wish he would have said that instead of calling it a youth movement.

Panthers NEVER should have drafted two 1st round rbs within 3 years of each other. NEVER should've carried both once they saw their personnel turning over (rebuilding), and should've traded one to the highest bidder in the offseason, and more urgently before the trading deadline. They also should NEVER throw a big money FA deal to a guy that has a lot of mileage, and a nagging foot injury that could possibly be reoccuring (also why they should try and dump JS). Rbs are by far the easiest position to get value from in the draft, and their shelf life from the blocking and the pounding they take running is the shortest in the nfl. Even if both have a few years left in them, it's going to take at least that before the Panthers have a punchers chance at doing anything,so reloading should be priority, not holding on to guys because of sentimental value or how many PSL owners have their jersey. Its a business, and if they aren't prudent, they will fail. See Julius Peppers fiasco.

He will do what he does best. RUSH. Take the money and run. Why would he stay in Charlotte for $5 Million when he can get $5Million and have a chance of playing in a Superbowl and winning a Ring. Panthers are in such disarray. Now why is it you can only put Players on Injured Reserve, Why cant you put a Head Coach on IR. Panthers have been on a downward death spiral since their Immaculate Deception when they played in the Super Bowl.

listen...the problems with the Panther offense is not the backs, its the guy calling the offensive plays. Im not talking about Foxy, Im talking about J. Davidson. Clearly has to be the worst play caller we have ever hadf at the Panthers. Nuff said!

I think Williams is a good back, hopefully he will be able to return to form. Assuming he gets some blockers he should be ok. The Panthers ought to trade one of the other backs for something they can use. But that makes too much sense and lately the coaching staff and front office seems to be severely lacking in that department